Java J2ee Resume Companion Preview

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Is your resume good enough for your next dream Java/JEE job? Make your Java/JEE Resume stand out

With

Java/JEE Resume Companion

By

K.Arulkumaran & A.Sivayini Reviewers Alan K Stewart Mr. R. Kumaraswamipillai

Cover Design, Layout, & Editing A.Sivayini

Acknowledgements A. Sivayini Mr. & Mrs. R. Kumaraswamipillai

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Java/JEE Resume Companion Copy Right: 2008

The author has made every effort in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information. However, information in this book is sold without warranty either expressed or implied. The author will not be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused either directly or indirectly by this book.

Please e-mail feedback & corrections to [email protected]

Buy At http://www.lulu.com/content/2706626 Home Site: http://www.lulu.com/java-success

First Edition: June 2008

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Outline SECTION

DESCRIPTION What this book will do for you? Why is your resume an important tool to effectively market your services in Java/JEE?

How do you get the prospective employer to interview you and not the other person who has done exactly the same thing or little more? ƒ ƒ SECTION 1

Ordinary vs. outstanding resume. Ordinary vs. outstanding phrases.

What are the key aspects of an effective Java/JEE resume? ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ

Results oriented. Key Areas driven. Soft skills and personal attributes are captured. Sought after technologies/frameworks are mentioned. Strengths are highlighted. Credible. Concise and well formatted without spelling errors.

More phrases…… SECTION 2

What are the different sections of a resume? ƒ

Personal details section

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Assertion Section (i.e. sales pitch) ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ

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Evidence Section ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ

SECTION 3

Objective Professional Summary or Profile Achievements Technical Summary

Professional Experience Education Awards Publications Professional Affiliations Personal Interests References

Putting it all together with sample Java resumes.

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ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ SECTION 4

Novice. Career change. Intermediate. Experienced. Customized Functional Format

Java/JEE resume questions and answers ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ

What a resume is and what it is not? Why is your resume a very important tool?

What makes a good resume?

What are the top 7 tips for writing an effective Java/JEE resume? What is the fastest way to improve your Java/JEE resume? What are the tips for impressing your prospective employer? What other skills can you include in your resume? How can you hide the fact that you don’t have all the essential/desirable requirements? What other resources do you recommend on more generic questions like “What do you do if you have gaps in your work experience”, “What if you have a fragmented, and scrambled work history?”, etc. ƒ Do you have any book recommendations?

Tips Tip #1: Do something, anything to stand out!!!! Tip #2: Why Participate in Open-Source Java Projects? Tip #3: “How well” you performed a task? Tip #4: Avoid redundant or superfluous words. Tip #5: What if you don’t have experience with newer technologies? Tip #6: Are you overly concerned about your academic achievements? Tip #7: Why is it important to network? Tip #8: Where can I find freelance work?

Tip #9: Being different.

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Table of contents

Outline ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Table of contents ....................................................................................................................... 5 What this book will do for you? ................................................................................................ 7 Why is your resume an important tool to effectively market your services in Java/JEE? ..... 9 Key Points ........................................................................................................................................ 13

How do you get the prospective employer to interview you and not the other person who has done exactly the same thing or little more?............................................................................ 14 What are the key aspects of an effective Java/JEE resume?................................................. 19 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Results oriented ............................................................................................................................... 22 Key Areas driven ............................................................................................................................. 26 Soft skills and personal attributes are captured ........................................................................... 29 Sought after technologies/frameworks are mentioned................................................................. 36 Strengths are highlighted................................................................................................................ 40 Credible ............................................................................................................................................ 45 More phrases ……........................................................................................................................... 48 Key Points ........................................................................................................................................ 52

What are the different sections of a resume?......................................................................... 53 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 54 Personal Details ............................................................................................................................... 54 Assertion Section ............................................................................................................................. 55 Objective .....................................................................................................................................................56 Professional Summary ...............................................................................................................................58 Achievements ..............................................................................................................................................61 Technical Summary....................................................................................................................................63

Evidence Section .............................................................................................................................. 65 Professional Experience .............................................................................................................................66 Education ....................................................................................................................................................70 Awards.........................................................................................................................................................70 Publications.................................................................................................................................................71 Professional Affiliations .............................................................................................................................71 Personal Interests .......................................................................................................................................71 References ...................................................................................................................................................72

Putting it all together with sample Java resumes................................................................... 73 A targeted resume is much stronger than a generic resume ....................................................... 74 Plan First .......................................................................................................................................... 74

6 Use Situation-Action-Result (SAR) statements.............................................................................75 Accomplishment is the key..............................................................................................................76 Make sure that your resume addresses the 6 C’s .........................................................................76 Resume examples.............................................................................................................................77 Novice .......................................................................................................................................................... 77 Career change............................................................................................................................................. 82 Intermediate ............................................................................................................................................... 86 Experienced ................................................................................................................................................ 91 Customized resume .................................................................................................................................... 98

What if you don’t have all the desirable or essential requirements? ........................................102 Chronological vs. Functional resume formats ............................................................................102 Cover Letter ...................................................................................................................................106 What do you do after submitting your application? ..................................................................108

Java/JEE resumes questions and answers............................................................................110 Q. What a resume is? What a resume is not? ............................................................................111 Q. Why is your resume a very important tool?..........................................................................111 Q. What makes a good resume? ..................................................................................................111 Q. What are the top 7 tips for writing an effective Java/JEE resume? ....................................112 Q. What is the fastest way to improve your Java/JEE resume?................................................112 Q. What are the tips for impressing your prospective employer? ............................................113 Q. What other skills can you include in your resume?...............................................................113 Q. How can you hide the fact that you don’t have all the essential/desirable requirements? 113 Q. What other resources do you recommend on more generic questions like “What do you do if you have gaps in your work experience”, “What if you have a fragmented and scrambled work history?”, etc. .......................................................................................................................114 Q. Do you have any book recommendations? .............................................................................114

Glossary of Terms ..................................................................................................................115 Resources................................................................................................................................116

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What this book will do for you? There are many books and online articles on writing a resume, so why do we need another one? The “Java/JEE Resume Companion” is a resume guide specific to Java/JEE professionals with general guidelines, tips, and lots of Java/JEE related examples. Writing a great resume does not necessarily mean that you should follow the rules you read through this book or elsewhere. Every resume is a unique marketing tool where you give a 10-30 second presentation of your achievements, experience, and skills to win an interview. You should write your resume exactly how you would like to depending on your situations like country you live in, prospective employers’ requirements, personal experience, etc, but some of the tips, guidelines, and Java/JEE specific examples in this book can help you write a highly effective resume. It is a competitive world out there and you need to be the standout applicant. Do you really know what employers are looking for in your Java/JEE resume?

“A well written Java/JEE resume can secure you more interviews than many people more qualified than you”. This guide will enable you to write a resume from a prospective employer’s perspective. When a prospective employer is scanning through piles of resumes, it is an art to capture his or her attention to read your resume from beginning to end by making them concise and interesting to read. It is not hard to create a really great resume if you simply try to picture yourself as the person who is going to read it. After reading the first few paragraphs, the prospective employer/recruiter needs to think, “Wow, this is exactly the type of Java/JEE professional I’m looking for!’ More often simple tips and creativity can make a huge difference.

“Do you consider yourself to be a Java guru? Technical skills alone are no guarantee of success. Acquiring certifications alone are not going to bring your next promotion or save you from being laid off”. Piling up of your certifications and learning new frameworks alone don’t lead to recognition, promotion, and most importantly opportunity. If you are an experienced Java/JEE professional and deciding, which professional skill to improve, then this guide can help you dig deep beyond just certifications and identify the next set of skills to acquire and close the gap to become a well rounded Java/JEE professional, not just another Java/JEE techie. Ineffective resumes result in prolonged job searches, and very often, lower salary offers. It can also negatively impact your self confidence. When people get a poor response to an application, they think that they are the problem, but fail to think that their resume could be the problem. If you really stop to think what monetary benefits an effective resume can bring, you will be motivated to put the extra effort. Even, if you are already in an employment, multiple-job offers can increase your power to negotiate better salaries. You could also even take up contract roles with the confidence that you could find a suitable employment even in a difficult job market, not only with your effective resume, but also with your broad experience, skills, and the power of networking. No matter whether you are a novice or a seasoned professional, perfect Java/JEE related phrases in a clear and concise resume will define your goals, exemplify your skills, and highlight your

8 achievements for potential employers. This companion provides hundreds of Java/JEE related phrases that can make your resume stand out. It is also filled with career-making tips and advice. Your resume will be a true reflection of who you are and how you can be a true asset to any business. Whether it is posted on the Web/Forum sites, sent directly to prospective employer, or handed in personally at career fairs, this guide can help you write a resume that gets noticed, get you an interview, and along with “Java/J2EE Job Interview Companion” can get you the job. Finally, writing an effective resume is also excellent interview preparation. It will help you to learn about yourself and empower you to walk into interviews knowing that you are highly capable.

Do you feel confident about your current Java/JEE resume? If you might not think so now, ask yourself the same question again after you have read this companion and have in your hands your completed, highly effective, customized, and comprehensive resume.

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Why is your resume an important tool to effectively market your services in Java/JEE? “People more often buy the best advertised product than the best product” The same is true in marketing your personal services. If you want to market a product successfully, you must know the product. Many of you do not think in a marketing oriented way when it comes to selling your personal services. Product = Your Personal Services. The Targeted Market = Your Prospective Employer. The Product Features = Your Achievements, Skills, Experience, Education, and Capabilities. The Product Benefits = Contribute to add value to the business. The Marketing Plan = A highly effective resume that can attract more interviews. If you want to increase your chances of winning a job interview, you must put some effort in writing a good resume. A resume is an essential marketing tool in your job search and career progression.

Your resume on average has to stand out from 20-100 other competitors unless you are a high profile candidate like Rod Johnson (Founder of Spring framework) or your resume was handed in via networking. Research shows that your resume will be quickly scanned, rather than read. All you have is ~15-30 seconds to persuade a prospective employer to read further. So, the role of your resume is to generate enough curiosity and interest for the prospective employer to wanting to interview you. This

10 means your resume should be concise and your top achievements, skills, and experience must be prioritized in the upper most section of your resume. If possible in the first page itself. To write an effective resume, you do not have to hard sell or make any false claims, but you need to get over your shyness and unwillingness to toot your own horn. If you cannot, who can? If you are willing to take some extra effort to learn and apply some of the guidelines discussed here and be more creative in preparing your resume, then you will definitely get a better response from prospective employers than people with better credentials. So, to win an interview, you should write a resume that is:

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Results oriented Key Areas driven Soft skills and personal attributes are captured Sought after technologies and frameworks are mentioned Strengths are highlighted Credible Concise and well-formatted without spelling errors.

Note: Bold faces and underlines are used in this book to highlight the importance and relevance to the reader, and this should not be construed as to be reflected in the real resume. Names and numbers are used for illustrative purpose only, and use your own data by reflecting back on your own experience if using these examples on your resume.

Results oriented Examples include: ƒ Reduced the complex Web based search response time from 8 seconds to 4 seconds by implementing true pagination and tuning hibernate mapping file. ƒ Redesigned and migrated a poorly performing and outdated application to Spring, Hibernate, and JSF based frameworks, which performs 40% faster for MQR Investment banking.

Key Areas driven Examples include: ƒ Identified and fixed hard to reproduce transactional and concurrency issues in a Java/JEE based Web application for ABC limited. ƒ Applied design patterns and OO design concepts to improve the existing Java/JEE based code base for PQR limited by refactoring with test driven development principles.

11 Note: In my book entitled “Java/J2EE Job Interview Companion”, I have defined and grouped interview questions and answers into 14 key areas like design concepts, design patterns, performance issues, memory issues, transactional issues, and so on.

Soft skills and personal attributes are captured Just being a superstar developer alone isn’t enough to advance in your career or survive layoffs. If you are a novice or graduate, do not rely only on your degree and certification and if you are an experienced professional, do not get overly obsessed about your technical skills alone. Employers prefer hiring well-rounded people with reasonable grades, relevant technical skills, and good soft skills like communication skills, team work, leadership skills, and personal traits like commitment, passion, etc. Don’t get me wrong. Your work experience and certifications are important, but can you convince your prospective employer or clients that you will solve their problems and deliver desired results? We will look at this in more detail with examples in the ensuing sections.

Sought after technologies and frameworks are mentioned Examples include: ƒ

Designed and developed a Web based application using Spring, Hibernate, JSF, and Ajax for ABC retail limited.

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Developed various data-processing and back office processing applications for telecommunication industry. Technologies used: Spring, Hibernate, JSF, EJB3, JMS, JMX, Websphere MQ, and Ajax.

Strengths are highlighted Examples include: ƒ Designed and developed a mission critical 24x7 Java/JEE based application to serve 300 concurrent users in a secured manner for XYZ limited. ƒ Received an initial 3 month contract with a multi-national Fortune 500 company to upgrade a poorly performing Java based application and integrate it with other systems. Based on performance, my contract was further extended 6 times.

Credible Examples include: ƒ Mentored junior developers by providing technical guidance and motivating them to meet the tight deadlines at MQR Investment banking. ƒ Designed and developed a JSF, Spring, Hibernate, and Ajax based application for ABCD limited. URL: www.abcd.com.

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Concise and well formatted without spelling errors Examples include: ƒ

Designed and developed a Web based application using Spring, Hibernate, JSF and Ajax for ABC retail limited to serve the retail customers.

The section 1 will be elaborating on each of the aspects mentioned above with more Java/JEE specific and soft skills based examples and reasoning with the “standout factor”. For example, saving time, improving processes, facilitating corporation, saving money, etc are all “standout factors”. Most importantly, you must show a real understanding of the business that you are in.

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Key Points ƒ If you want to standout from ~20-100 competing candidates, then you need to market your skills, experience, and accomplishments more effectively. ƒ Your resume will be quickly scanned, and you have only ~15-30 seconds to persuade your prospective employer to read further. ƒ Your top skills, achievements, and experience that will be of interest to your prospective employer should be prioritized in the uppermost section of your resume. ƒ You should write a resume that is ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾

Results oriented. Key Areas driven. Soft skills are captured. Sought after technologies and frameworks are mentioned. Strengths are captured. Credible. Concise and well formatted without spelling errors.

Tip #1: Do something, anything to stand out!!!! Most Java/JEE candidates try to concentrate on getting a certification done to standout, but as you will see in this book, you can do other things that are more effective to stand out without really having to pile up your certifications. For example: -- Start a blog or write an online article - this shows, you can communicate and you're interested enough in your Java/JEE to write about it. -- Contribute to an Open Source project - fix a bug in any project you use and include the project on your resume as something you've "contributed to". -- Work on a self-taught project and provide a link on your resume. -- Identify your transferable skills gained from paid work, unpaid work, and volunteer work. Everything you learn and every skill you have acquired becomes part of your personal toolkit. Store this toolkit in a Situation-Action-Result format and carry it with you as you move through your career. -- Take the effort to write an effective resume with standout phrases.

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So, it really matters how you phrase your sentences. You will look at a lot more Java/JEE based examples that are aimed at seasoned professionals and novices with explanations in the ensuing sections. Hope these guidelines & examples can help you to write a resume that will motivate the prospective employer or recruiter to reach for the phone to schedule an interview with you.

Note: I have made a number of references to Spring, Hibernate, and JSF in many of the examples, since these were the most popular technologies at the time of writing this book.

Q. Are you concerned that when more and more Java professionals start to apply these guidelines, the competition becomes fiercer and you need to be more creative to stand out from the pack? A. You only succeed in producing a more successful resume, only, if you take the effort to learn and apply these guidelines. So out of say ~ 4.0 million Java/JEE professionals, -- Only a ~1% to 2% (i.e. ~ 40,000 – 80,000) will stumble across this guide, and out of which, -- Only ~1% to 2% (i.e. ~ 400 - 1600) will commit to or feel the need to learn more, and out of which, -- Only ~ 10% - 50% (i.e. ~ 80 - 800) will be motivated to persistently take action to improve their resume. So, if you are in that ~ 80 – 800, then you have a better chance to fast track your success rate in getting to the interview stage by being able to market your Java/JEE skills, soft skills, achievements, and experience more effectively than your competition. “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit” – Conrad Hilton.

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SECTION ONE What are the key aspects of an effective Java/JEE resume?

K E Y A S P E C T S

ƒ Results Oriented. ƒ Key Area driven. ƒ Soft skills & personal traits are captured. ƒ Sought after technologies and frameworks are mentioned. ƒ Strengths are highlighted. ƒ Credible. ƒ Concise and well formatted without spelling errors.

Note: Bold faces and underlines are used in this book to highlight the importance and relevance to the reader, and this should not be construed as to be reflected in the real resume. Names and numbers are used for illustrative purpose only, and use your own data by reflecting back on your own experience if using these examples on your resume.

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SECTION TWO What are the different sections of a resume?

ƒ Personal details section ƒ Assertion Section K E Y A S P E C T S

• • • •

Objective Professional Summary or Profile Achievements Technical Summary

ƒ Evidence Section • • • • • • •

Professional Experience Education Awards Publications Professional Affiliations Personal Interests References

Note: Bold faces and underlines are used in this book to highlight the importance and relevance to the reader, and this should not be construed as to be reflected in the real resume. Names and numbers are used for illustrative purpose only, and use your own data by reflecting back on your own experience if using these examples on your resume.

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SECTION THREE Putting it all together with sample Java resumes.

ƒ Novice ƒ Career change K E Y A S P E C T S

ƒ Intermediate ƒ Experienced ƒ Customized ƒ Functional Format ƒ What if you don’t have all the desirable/essential requirements? ƒ Chronological vs. Functional resume formats ƒ Cover Letter ƒ What do you do after submitting your application?

Note: Names and numbers are used for illustrative purpose only, and use your own data by reflecting back on your own experience if using these examples on your resume.

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Tip #9: Being different -- In the “subject” of your email, put something more creative than “Resume Enclosed”. Try for example: “Resume showing 7+ years in Java/JEE”, “Resume highlighting technical & soft skills”, “Java/JEE resume highlighting extensive finance experience”, etc. -- Choose an eye catching phrase that best describes your situation, for example Æ Proven track record of/in … Æ Expertise and demonstrated skills in … Æ Instrumental in …. Æ During employment with …, successfully … Æ Spearheaded …….. Æ Successful in/at …. Æ Extensive and diverse practical experience in …. Æ Proficient/Competent at … -- When networking, you should not ask for a job opening but ask for advice. Ask for things like industry advice and advice on geographic areas. Flatter the people in your network with tactfulness and courtesy. Show interest in your contacts. Send thank-you notes after each networking contact. -- Prepare your interview kit consisting of your certificates, college transcripts, company information (e.g. annual reports, sales materials, etc.), self-taught project(s) in a CD, extra resumes, your letter of references, list of questions you have prepared based on your research and analysis of the company, 56 screen shots of some of the websites you built and anything else you are proud of. -- Your market value depends on how well you demonstrate your ability to contribute to the bottom line of the business NOT just the number of years of experience and stack of certifications. Show you can solve organizational problems, improve productivity, meet business expectations, build good rapport and work as a team, improve quality, reduce costs, meet deadlines, motivate and mentor others, etc. Highlight specific achievements. Achievements determine hire ability. -- Delay all salary negotiations until there is an offer on the table. Know your value and research the average salary paid for similar positions with other organizations in your geographic area. Don’t be afraid to negotiate but negotiate in a fair and reasonable manner to have a win-win outcome. Play hardball only if you have multiple job offers and you are willing to walk away from or lose the deal. Never link salary to personal needs or problems. Compensation should always be linked to your value. Be sure to get the offer and final agreement in writing.

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SECTION FOUR Java/JEE resumes questions and answers

K E Y A S P E C T S

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What a resume is? and what it is not? Why is your resume a very important tool?

What makes a good resume?

What are the top 7 tips for writing an effective Java/JEE resume? What is the fastest way to improve your Java/JEE resume? What are the tips for impressing your prospective employer? What other skills can you include in your resume? How can you hide the fact that you don’t have all the essential/desirable requirements? ƒ What other resources do you recommend on more generic questions like “What do you do if you have gaps in your work experience”, “What if you have a fragmented, scrambled work history?”, How far back should you go in your work history?, etc. ƒ Do you have any book recommendations?